The Baltimore Orioles are headed towards a rebuild in 2018 and beyond. They finished last in the AL East with a 75-87 record in 2017 and Orioles fans shouldn’t expect their team to surpass that record in the future. Manny Machadois a free agent after this upcoming season and will most likely leave Baltimore in the off-season. Star closerZach Brittonwill start the season on the DL and is a free agent after this season as well. While the Orioles will manage the ninth inning on a closer by committee basis, the pitching rotation is probably the most glaring part of the roster even with the new addition ofAndrew Cashner.

Expect Big Things from Manny Machado

While the Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, and New York Yankees were in on the Machado sweepstakes this off-season, General Manager of the Orioles Dan Duquette didn’t find the right hall to pull the trigger on a trade, however, Machado could be on his way out of Baltimore regardless, as he enters free agency at the end of this season. The star infielder will command a big asking price, rumored to be in the hundred million dollar range. He’ll still be in a contract year and will look to bump his stock upon going into free agency in 2019. Machado batted .259/.310/.471 with 33 home runs and 95 RBI. He will play shortstop which was his original position coming up with the Orioles. Tim Beckhamwill take over at third base.

The Orioles start 2018 with no closer; Britton hurts his stock

Along with their franchise player likely leaving town after this season, Orioles closer Zach Britton will start the season on the DL with a ruptured Achilles tendon and will also be a free agent at the end of the 2018 campaign. The closer role will be run on a by-committee basis. The most probable options areBrad Brachand veteran pitcher Darren O’ Day, however, Mychal Givens is an option for closing duties as well. Baltimore’s bullpen is well equipped to recover from Britton’s injury. After Britton comes back and finishes 2018 with the Orioles, he’ll struggle in the upcoming market. While Britton was one of the top closers in the game back in 2016 but his injuries will hurt his stock come contract time.

Orioles will have inexperienced rotation in 2018

Even while the Orioles were looking like a strong team in the AL East during their 2012 run where they lost after going the distance against the Texas Rangers in the American League Divisional Series, pitching has never been a strength of theirs. Baltimore will start the 2018 season with a young inexperienced rotation with the exception of Cashner. Household names will look to set an example for the rest of the young rotation, andChris Tillman, who has the most seasons with Baltimore, will make a personal effort to bounce back from a rough year where he posted a 7.84 ERA in 94 innings. Newly acquired Cashner, 31, will also play a veteran role in the rotation and will see some time in the bullpen if need be.

Other notable free agents

Baltimore will expect more players to exit than just Machado and Britton. After 2019, O’ Day, Adam Jones, Mark Trumbo and Jonathan Schoopwill all become free agents. With most of Baltimore’s core players likely testing free agency in 2020, the Orioles could be searching for diamonds in the rough with their farm system in the near future.

Last Word on Baltimore

Orioles and baseball fans alike can watch the Baltimore Orioles and see the last two years of meaningful baseball in Maryland. At the start of the regular season, Machado’s likely exit is only 162 games away and more core players could be on their way out after 2019. At the start of 2020, Baltimore could be waiting for its next batch of young talent to develop and hope they strike gold and find another Manny Machadoesque player. It’ll be tough to watch the Orioles in the very near future.

The Baltimore Orioles are headed towards a rebuild in 2018 and beyond. They finished last in the AL East with a 75-87 record in 2017 and Orioles fans shouldn’t expect their team to surpass that record in the future. Manny Machadois a free agent after this upcoming season and will most likely leave Baltimore in the off-season. Star closerZach Brittonwill start the season on the DL and is a free agent after this season as well. While the Orioles will manage the ninth inning on a closer by committee basis, the pitching rotation is probably the most glaring part of the roster even with the new addition ofAndrew Cashner.

Expect Big Things from Manny Machado

While the Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, and New York Yankees were in on the Machado sweepstakes this off-season, General Manager of the Orioles Dan Duquette didn’t find the right hall to pull the trigger on a trade, however, Machado could be on his way out of Baltimore regardless, as he enters free agency at the end of this season. The star infielder will command a big asking price, rumored to be in the hundred million dollar range. He’ll still be in a contract year and will look to bump his stock upon going into free agency in 2019. Machado batted .259/.310/.471 with 33 home runs and 95 RBI. He will play shortstop which was his original position coming up with the Orioles. Tim Beckhamwill take over at third base.

The Orioles start 2018 with no closer; Britton hurts his stock

Along with their franchise player likely leaving town after this season, Orioles closer Zach Britton will start the season on the DL with a ruptured Achilles tendon and will also be a free agent at the end of the 2018 campaign. The closer role will be run on a by-committee basis. The most probable options areBrad Brachand veteran pitcher Darren O’ Day, however, Mychal Givens is an option for closing duties as well. Baltimore’s bullpen is well equipped to recover from Britton’s injury. After Britton comes back and finishes 2018 with the Orioles, he’ll struggle in the upcoming market. While Britton was one of the top closers in the game back in 2016 but his injuries will hurt his stock come contract time.

Orioles will have inexperienced rotation in 2018

Even while the Orioles were looking like a strong team in the AL East during their 2012 run where they lost after going the distance against the Texas Rangers in the American League Divisional Series, pitching has never been a strength of theirs. Baltimore will start the 2018 season with a young inexperienced rotation with the exception of Cashner. Household names will look to set an example for the rest of the young rotation, andChris Tillman, who has the most seasons with Baltimore, will make a personal effort to bounce back from a rough year where he posted a 7.84 ERA in 94 innings. Newly acquired Cashner, 31, will also play a veteran role in the rotation and will see some time in the bullpen if need be.

Other notable free agents

Baltimore will expect more players to exit than just Machado and Britton. After 2019, O’ Day, Adam Jones, Mark Trumbo and Jonathan Schoopwill all become free agents. With most of Baltimore’s core players likely testing free agency in 2020, the Orioles could be searching for diamonds in the rough with their farm system in the near future.

Last Word on Baltimore

Orioles and baseball fans alike can watch the Baltimore Orioles and see the last two years of meaningful baseball in Maryland. At the start of the regular season, Machado’s likely exit is only 162 games away and more core players could be on their way out after 2019. At the start of 2020, Baltimore could be waiting for its next batch of young talent to develop and hope they strike gold and find another Manny Machadoesque player. It’ll be tough to watch the Orioles in the very near future.

Tillman’s Career Profile

Drafted in the second round with the 49th overall pick by the Seattle Mariners in the 2006 June Amateur Draft, Tillman wouldn’t play a game for the organization. On February 9th, 2008, Tillman would be a part of a trade that would set the Orioles up for the team they have right now. Tillman, along with center fielder Adam Jones, pitchers George Sherrill, Kam Mickolio and Tony Butler. In exchange, the Mariners acquired pitcher Erik Bedard. After the trade, Tillman had to wait for a year still to make his MLB debut. He would officially debut on July 29th, 2009. During his rookie year, Tillman would finish with a 5.40 ERA with 39 strikeouts in 65 innings pitched.

Four years later, Tillman would be named to his first All-Star game as a starting pitcher. Tillman would be named the Opening Day starter for the Orioles in 2014. In that start, Tillman would strike out four batters in five innings pitched in a no decision. Tillman was also a part of the Orioles ALCS run in 2014. He would pitch in two games in that postseason, pitching a 6.75 ERA with nine strikeouts in 9.1 innings pitched. In the 2015 season, Tillman once again would be named the Opening Day starter. He would then be named the Opening Day starter for the third consecutive year for the 2016 season. In this start, thanks to two separate rain delays, Tillman would only pitch two innings. In his nine years in the league, all with Baltimore, Tillman has a career ERA of 4.43 with 834 strikeouts in 1,118.1 innings pitched.

Tillman’s Career Profile

Drafted in the second round with the 49th overall pick by the Seattle Mariners in the 2006 June Amateur Draft, Tillman wouldn’t play a game for the organization. On February 9th, 2008, Tillman would be a part of a trade that would set the Orioles up for the team they have right now. Tillman, along with center fielder Adam Jones, pitchers George Sherrill, Kam Mickolio and Tony Butler. In exchange, the Mariners acquired pitcher Erik Bedard. After the trade, Tillman had to wait for a year still to make his MLB debut. He would officially debut on July 29th, 2009. During his rookie year, Tillman would finish with a 5.40 ERA with 39 strikeouts in 65 innings pitched.

Four years later, Tillman would be named to his first All-Star game as a starting pitcher. Tillman would be named the Opening Day starter for the Orioles in 2014. In that start, Tillman would strike out four batters in five innings pitched in a no decision. Tillman was also a part of the Orioles ALCS run in 2014. He would pitch in two games in that postseason, pitching a 6.75 ERA with nine strikeouts in 9.1 innings pitched. In the 2015 season, Tillman once again would be named the Opening Day starter. He would then be named the Opening Day starter for the third consecutive year for the 2016 season. In this start, thanks to two separate rain delays, Tillman would only pitch two innings. In his nine years in the league, all with Baltimore, Tillman has a career ERA of 4.43 with 834 strikeouts in 1,118.1 innings pitched.

Cashner’s Career Profile

Drafted in the first round by the Chicago Cubs with the 19th overall selection in the 2008 June Amateur Draft, Cashner would make his MLB debut in 2010 for the Cubs. He would play two years for the Cubs, assembling a 4.29 ERA with 58 strikeouts in 65 innings pitched. On January 6th, 2012, Cashner became part of a trade that helped the Cubs build their current core. Cashner, along with left fielder Kyung-Min Na, was traded to the San Diego Padres in exchange for first baseman Anthony Rizzo and pitcher Zach Cates. After being a reliever for much of his time in Chicago, Cashner settled into a starter role in San Diego. In his time in San Diego, Cashner accumulated a 3.67 ERA with 505 strikeouts in 608.2 innings pitched. Cashner would play for the Padres for five years.

On July 29th, 2016, four days before the trade deadline, Cashner would be traded again. In this massive deal, Cashner, along with pitchers Colin Rea and Tayron Guerrero, were traded to the Miami Marlins. The Padres acquired pitchers Jarred Cosart, Carter Capps, and Luis Castillo, as well as first baseman Josh Naylor in the deal. In a big twist, due to Rea’s health, Rea and Castillo would be traded back to their respective teams. After playing out the rest of the year in Miami, Cashner would sign a one-year contract with the Texas Rangers for $10 million. Cashner has a career ERA of 3.80 with 505 strikeouts in 893 innings pitched.

The Impact Of The Signing

The Orioles add a pitcher who is willing to come out of the bullpen, even though most of his career Cashner has been a starter. Cashner would also be a great presence in the clubhouse for younger players. For the Rangers, they lose a pitcher who was extremely helpful after the Yu Darvish trade. But now, Cashner will settle down for his next adventure on his new mound.

Cashner’s Career Profile

Drafted in the first round by the Chicago Cubs with the 19th overall selection in the 2008 June Amateur Draft, Cashner would make his MLB debut in 2010 for the Cubs. He would play two years for the Cubs, assembling a 4.29 ERA with 58 strikeouts in 65 innings pitched. On January 6th, 2012, Cashner became part of a trade that helped the Cubs build their current core. Cashner, along with left fielder Kyung-Min Na, was traded to the San Diego Padres in exchange for first baseman Anthony Rizzo and pitcher Zach Cates. After being a reliever for much of his time in Chicago, Cashner settled into a starter role in San Diego. In his time in San Diego, Cashner accumulated a 3.67 ERA with 505 strikeouts in 608.2 innings pitched. Cashner would play for the Padres for five years.

On July 29th, 2016, four days before the trade deadline, Cashner would be traded again. In this massive deal, Cashner, along with pitchers Colin Rea and Tayron Guerrero, were traded to the Miami Marlins. The Padres acquired pitchers Jarred Cosart, Carter Capps, and Luis Castillo, as well as first baseman Josh Naylor in the deal. In a big twist, due to Rea’s health, Rea and Castillo would be traded back to their respective teams. After playing out the rest of the year in Miami, Cashner would sign a one-year contract with the Texas Rangers for $10 million. Cashner has a career ERA of 3.80 with 505 strikeouts in 893 innings pitched.

The Impact Of The Signing

The Orioles add a pitcher who is willing to come out of the bullpen, even though most of his career Cashner has been a starter. Cashner would also be a great presence in the clubhouse for younger players. For the Rangers, they lose a pitcher who was extremely helpful after the Yu Darvish trade. But now, Cashner will settle down for his next adventure on his new mound.

http://lwosonbaseball.ms.lastwordonsports.com/?p=10341The 2018 Hall of Fame class is loaded with players deserving to have their career enshrined forever in Cooperstown. There are 33 candidates this year, included in that, 19 new players to the ballot. Mike Mussina, also known as “Moose”, was a consistent ace for the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees for many seasons. This is his fifth time on the ballot.

Mussina had 83 Wins Above Replacement over his 18 year career, that is more than 41 of the current Hall of Fame starting pitchers. Moose, with his 270 Wins, ranks ahead of over 30 hurlers in the hall already. A fierce competitor on the mound, with his arm, as well as his glove. He also won seven Gold Glove Awards in his illustrious career.

Compared with Jim Palmer

Perhaps the best comparison to Mussina is the 1990 HOF inductee, Jim Palmer. Each had long, consistent careers. Palmer pitched 19 seasons and Mussina retired after a 20 win campaign in his 18th season. Both rightys pitched for Baltimore (Mussina first 10 seasons) and each had the exact same winning percentage at .638. Palmer, two wins shy (268) and one less loss (152) than the Stanford alum.

Mussina has 2,813 strikeouts against the 2,212 that Palmer accumulated. Mussina also owns a better WAR (83 vs. 69.4), but Palmer has a better ERA (2.86 vs. 3.68). Sure, Jim Palmer has the Cy-Young Awards (3) and the ERA Titles (2), but he pitched in a much different time in baseball. Mussina matches or exceeds many current Hall of Fame pitchers stats.

AL East / Steroid Era

Playing against powerhouse teams of the American League East is no easy task. Powerful line-ups in the seemingly “always stacked” Eastern Division. Skeptics point to the lack of awards from Mussina, he never won the ERA title, or the Cy-Young Award. In fact, he did not record a 20 win season until his final one in 2008. However, he was always in the top 10 of all the most important statistical categories. Pitching against the Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and eventually the Orioles made for tough starts every time out against divisional foes.

He was facing lots of likely juiced up hitters for years. The time period in which Mussina pitched in, the steroid era, he still dominated opposing batters. He faced hitters who were possibly cheating to gain an edge, and the pride of Williamsport (yes, that Williamsport) still excelled.

Mike Mussina – Hall of Famer

Mike Mussina is a clear cut choice to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018. Legendary pitchers such as Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine have been enshrined into Cooperstown in the last few years. It’s time, this year for Mussina to become immortalized for future generations. Mike Mussina is a Hall of Famer!